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The slash of light from the moon cuts across his face.

Or should I say his mask.

“Run.” he whispers, and I take off.

* * *

I wake up with a gasp.

I wasn’t in the forest, and I wasn’t running away from a masked man.

I was laying on my couch, safe and at home.

Glancing at the TV, I see Jason’s face from the movie I put on glaring back at me.

Did I pause it?

“Oh good sweetie, you’re up.” I hear from behind me, causing me to jump a little.

My mom.

I rub my eyes as I go to stand up.

“Hey mom.” I say to her as I see her in the kitchen cooking something that smelled amazing.

“Hey honey.” she says as she stirs something. “Why do you insist on watching scary movies alone if your going to just have nightmares?”

Nightmare?

“You were grunting in your sleep.” she clarifies.

How mortifying.

I walk over and sit at the kitchen table.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I do that to myself.” I say, trying to play it off.

My mom was beautiful.

Shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes, she was the replica of my little brother. It was copy and paste, my father had no part in it.

“Are you all packed up?” she asks me.

I look at her, and watch her for a second before responding.

“Yeah, just one load of laundry left.”

She smiles and nods.

When we came back last year, I could see the sadness in her eyes even as she tried to smile.

Neena was telling us about what all they did, but I know how bad it had to suck to go without her kids for the first time in seventeen years. It sucked.

“Are you going to be okay?”

She looks up at me before coming over and pulling me into a hug.

“Of course I will sweets.” she kisses the top of my head.